...not altogether un-enjoyable if approached with the right attitude...

I am certain I would not enjoy this thing under any circumstances.posted by Pudhoho at 12:13 AM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

It's a fucking Cool Ranch Doritos Taco! This is some sort of junk food holy grail. I, for one, cannot wait to try it. I, for one, am part of the problem.posted by asnider at 12:21 AM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

i hate I HATE I HATE ooh cool ranch tacoposted by cmoj at 12:36 AM on March 17, 2013

Sadly (not really) we don't have Tacos Bell in Australia so I guess I don't. know what I'm missing. Nice writing particularly because of that fave expression of mine - lips and arseholes.posted by wilful at 12:46 AM on March 17, 2013 [2 favorites]

Like many things that have an inkling of cultural meaning, some people will hate it, and some people will love it. Vocal minorities from each group will construct hyperbolic bad guys of the other side, and find reasons for feeling superior to them. In this particular case, Taco Bell has come up with a frankly brilliant product (in terms of marketing and really hitting their target demographic). Sure, it's mass produced, not-great-quality meat and cheese stuffed into highly processed, dense corn product assembled on the fly by underpaid workers. But it's really no worse than anything else they offer. Some people will be reviled by it and their regulars will love it. This phenomena is not new.posted by spiderskull at 12:50 AM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

Oo, oo, I know the answer! It's "No, they will not be the end of us all."

(Also, in case it's not clear, Taco Bell is owned by Yum! brands, which is a subsidiary of PepsiCo. PepsiCo also owns Frito Lays, so this isn't some sort of unique corporate joining. The Pepsi BoD just decided to glue two of their companies together).posted by spiderskull at 12:55 AM on March 17, 2013

Taco Bell is headquartered in Irvine?!? When I visit Irvine/Tustin my brother takes me out for fish tacos that prove the existence of God. I wonder where the Taco Bell office workers go for lunch?posted by benito.strauss at 1:29 AM on March 17, 2013

Still far less appalling than those KFC infamous bowls.posted by straight at 1:51 AM on March 17, 2013

I tried the doritos taco (regular flavor existing one). It was gross. I couldn't finish it. Guess I'm a taco bell traditionalist.posted by sio42 at 1:54 AM on March 17, 2013

If we can survive the Double-Down, we can survive anything.

Not to pick on you specifically, but the Double-Down is the ultimate triumph of marketing hype over fast food reality. So you take a chicken sandwich with cheese and bacon, which pretty well every fast food joint has on the menu sitting there unnoticed. And you add a second meat patty; not common with chicken, but a double cheeseburger goes unremarked on - heck, it's de rigeur at some, like In-N-Out.

If KFC had introduced a double chicken burger, who would have really noticed? But they threw away the bun, that is, they made a double chicken burger with less food, and all of a sudden pandemonium. Before the Double-Down, when had eating two whole pieces of fried chicken been a feat of strength? (To be fair, two out of three pieces of KFC are wings and legs that are so tiny and anemic it is almost as if the bird had lived its entire life in a box too small to run or flap in.)

And the same company, Yum Brands, had now taken a taco filled with salty beef and processed cheese that was no one's idea of healthy dining, but was a thing people ate without spectacle. They sprinkle a little more salt and processed cheese powder on it, and it's suddenly beyond the pale, and a media sensation.posted by Homeboy Trouble at 1:58 AM on March 17, 2013 [12 favorites]

Wait, what, you think those KFC chicken pieces are small? Jesus I got news for you, go anywhere where food production hasn't reached industrial scale and check out the size of the chicken breasts. Hint: they are not those opaque steak-sized slabs sold at basically the entire social class-spectrum of grocery stores in the US.posted by legospaceman at 2:05 AM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

Lame. Where's the Mountain Dew salsa? Looks like you could cram a slice of pizza there, too. The shell should also be caffeinated.

I was given a free sample of chicken and waffles flavored potato chips recently. I think I like them but they're... odd. They actually taste like chicken waffles. I like chicken and waffles. I'm not sure I like the chemistry of artificial flavorings that taste like chicken and waffles.

In the grim future of junk and snack food there will be fractal-shaped food structures to maximize flavoring and additive delivery, nano-particles or structures like micro-bubbles and foams that deliver changing or timed flavors, chemically reactive additives that respond to your body chemistry and saliva and maybe even genetically engineered foods or chemicals that interface with your particular preferences, not unlike the food synthesizers from on the Heart of Gold from The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy.posted by loquacious at 2:26 AM on March 17, 2013 [5 favorites]

Yeah, I'm in Australia too, but I don't really understand why this is different. I know that what we get over here is a pathetic attempt to vaguely imitate Mexican food, but the "taco" shells you can buy here are basically the same as Doritos, but of a size and shape that you can stuff food into them. Are "tacos" at Taco Bell not normally made of corn chip material?posted by lollusc at 2:46 AM on March 17, 2013

Taco Bell has failed a couple of times in the UK; I believe their latest attempt to get a foothold has been torpedoed by the discovery that like many other crap products, their stuff was contaminated with horse meat. Everyone was really surprised.posted by Segundus at 3:12 AM on March 17, 2013

Meh, the cool ranch version isn't as good as the nacho cheese shell.

I wouldn't even have that one regularly, it's more when I feel in the mood for an unintentionally hilarious, yet oddly enjoyable, performance art version of food.posted by Talanvor at 3:25 AM on March 17, 2013 [3 favorites]

God, I wouldn't want to live with that guy......posted by HuronBob at 4:25 AM on March 17, 2013

exec 1: "No one is talking about the Dorito taco anymore... Kind of a flop really."

exec 2: "Let's do Cool Ranch, and just repeat the marketing. Morning shows, drive time djs... Just like last time."posted by laconic skeuomorph at 4:25 AM on March 17, 2013

lollusc: The taco shells here in Australia are the size and shape of corn tortilla shells, but Doritos have all that extra powdery flavour on them. The addition of such flavour is the "advancement" being discussed.

Is this AskMe? Because I sure see someone who needs a pile-on of people telling him to a) eat the fucking taco already; b) stop overthinking that plate of refried beans; and c) maybe think about getting some therapy.posted by drlith at 5:25 AM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

Cool ranch taco? What's cool ranch? What's a taco? I don't even own a TV guys!

I love Taco Bell and watch tons of TV.posted by The Deej at 5:42 AM on March 17, 2013

> "Oo, oo, I know the answer! It's 'No, they will not be the end of us all.'"

I was totally going to come in and agree with this, because I don't see what the big deal is, but I doubled-checked Revelation before posting just in case, and, well:

6:12 And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood;
6:13 And the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind, and Taco Bell unveiled the Cool Ranch Dorito-Sheathed Taco.
6:14 And the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

That's the American Standard version, though. The King James says something about a "Bender in a Bun With Cheese" instead.posted by kyrademon at 6:11 AM on March 17, 2013 [4 favorites]

I swear to the FSM that the last time I ate Taco Bell the lady handing me my food said "Good luck." That was a dozen or so years ago, I haven't even thought of being back since.

I will say that Taco Bell works so well in the only States because of the millions of people who have become adjusted to twelve years of institutional/educational cafeteria food products sourced to the vendor that costs the least amount of money.

Taco Bell:Mexican Food::that mean cafeteria lady from 7th grade with the giant hairy mole on the side of her face:rest of humanity. (Sure, it fits the technical definition, but that's because it's a poorly defined thing.)posted by Blue_Villain at 6:14 AM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

Taco Bell is headquartered in Irvine?!? When I visit Irvine/Tustin my brother takes me out for fish tacos that prove the existence of God. I wonder where the Taco Bell office workers go for lunch?
posted by benito.strauss at 1:29 AM on March 17 [+] [!]

I used to work near there. It's my understanding that they have a really nice Taco Bell in the bottom of the office tower.

Are you talking about Wahoo's Fish Tacos? I miss them so much.posted by bq at 7:55 AM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

(Also, in case it's not clear, Taco Bell is owned by Yum! brands, which is a subsidiary of PepsiCo. PepsiCo also owns Frito Lays, so this isn't some sort of unique corporate joining. The Pepsi BoD just decided to glue two of their companies together).

Do you have a cite for that? Everything I've found says Yum was spun off from Pepsico in '97, and the only ongoing connection is a lifetime agreement for Yum restaurants to carry Pepsi brands.posted by SteveInMaine at 8:20 AM on March 17, 2013 [2 favorites]

Man I can't wait for the internet to get tired of dimestore bloggers writing breathless hyperbole about the pedestrian and ultimately inconsequential creature-comforts of the "ugly" American.posted by Uther Bentrazor at 8:34 AM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

My curiosity got the better of me and I ordered one last week. If you want to replicate the experience, just dump a salt packet on your tongue and eat a regular crunchy taco.posted by BishopFistwick at 8:49 AM on March 17, 2013

Like many Mefites, I'm sure, I try my best to patronize local, authentic dining establishments whenever possible. And living in Southern California, good Mexican joints are hardly in short supply.

The brilliance of Taco Bell's marketing is that they create these weirdly appealing items that as far as I can tell are not easily replicated anywhere else. Not that they are a regular part of my diet or anything, but sometimes I get a craving for a Beef Meximelt or a Crunchwrap Supreme, and when I do, it's pretty much Taco Bell or bust.

(From my own experience, the Doritos Locos Tacos are pretty good, but the shells are way too fragile)posted by The Gooch at 8:52 AM on March 17, 2013

Can I answer your question headline, Albert? The answer is no. Also, that first graph is a 100-level college writing course's wet dream.posted by stltony at 9:16 AM on March 17, 2013

I read the fucking article. Damn funny writing.posted by KokuRyu at 9:20 AM on March 17, 2013

What I don't understand is his complete aversion to the oh-so-yummy-cheesy-cheese-nachoy-goodness taco shell.

Or maybe he tried one and realized it tastes nothing like an actual Dorito, but rather kind of like crunchy/soggy cardboard with some orange dust poorly glued on.posted by DoubleLune at 9:41 AM on March 17, 2013

Sidhedevil: "Oo, oo, I know the answer! It's "No, they will not be the end of us all."

What do I win?"

A Cool Ranch Doritos Taco, of course.posted by Splunge at 10:19 AM on March 17, 2013

"Taste sand" is my new favorite food term. Mouthfeel Taste Sand.posted by fiercecupcake at 10:56 AM on March 17, 2013

Are you talking about Wahoo's Fish Tacos? I miss them so much.
posted by bq

I would have been, two years ago, but the last time I visited there my "local experts" (bro and sis-in-law) pointed out that Wahoo had suffered from over-franchising and took me to Baja Fish Tacos after having been to Wahoo's. The Wahoo's were still great, but BFT was amazing and was better, from the first forkful of beans.posted by benito.strauss at 12:05 PM on March 17, 2013

I enjoy the aspect of the reaction to this (like in the linked "Fastfood for Failures" article) that treats these items as trying to be bad: "As an affront to God, it is successful, but as a sandwich, it falls flat". Makes me curious to see what would happen if a fast-food chain tried to do something with ortolans. "At Burger King we give you a special napkin with King's face on it. Hide your shame the BK way!"posted by benito.strauss at 12:13 PM on March 17, 2013

"Cool Ranch" is often packaged in other countries as "Cool American" so you folks overseas should be on the lookout for "Cool American Loco Tacos".posted by sourwookie at 12:42 PM on March 17, 2013

Do you have a cite for that? Everything I've found says Yum was spun off from Pepsico in '97, and the only ongoing connection is a lifetime agreement for Yum restaurants to carry Pepsi brands.

You are correct! I was under the impression that they shared a BoD. But that does not seem to be the case -- I retract my original statement.posted by spiderskull at 1:48 PM on March 17, 2013

I am a resident of Toledo, Ohio where Taco Bell has chosen to do its test marketing. We had the Cool Ranch taco over a year ago. As Taco Bell's official test market I will now inform you of the things you have to look forward to down the line:

Tags

Share

About MetaFilter

MetaFilter is a weblog that anyone can contribute a link or a comment to. A typical weblog is one person posting their thoughts on the unique things they find on the web. This website exists to break down the barriers between people, to extend a weblog beyond just one person, and to foster discussion among its members.